A snowdrift on H Street, across from the Government Printing Office after the Blizzard of 1899. Snow fell in Washington for 51 hours, from February 11 to February 14, accumulating 20 inches. Accumulations from February 5 to February 14 exceeded 50 inches in Southern Maryland. High winds during the blizzard produced ten-foot snowdrifts. Washingtoniana Division, D.C. Public Library

The US Army uses flame throwers to melt the ice and snow on New York City streets, February 9, 1920.

President Roosevelt and President-elect Taft ride inside a horse-drawn carriage en route to Taft's Inauguration, March 4, 1909. Almost a foot of wet snow fell in Washington during the snowstorm. Library of Congress

Digging out during the record-breaking Knickerbocker Snowstorm, January 28, 1922. A slow moving storm system dumped 28 inches of snow on Washington. Temperatures hovered in the 20's for the majority of the storm, but slowly rose to 31 degrees F as the snow ended. NOAA Library

The WWDC helicopter rescues an expectant mother after the Blizzard of 1966 (in Prince Georges County). The blizzard dropped nearly 20 inches of snow across the area.

Floral Street in Washington after the Presidents Day Snowstorm, February 19, 1979. A very intense snowstorm hit Washington, starting on the afternoon of February 19, 1979 and lasting through the morning of February 20, 1979. The snowfall at National Airport measured 18.7 inches. The heaviest accumulations were to the east of the city, with 20 inches of snow falling in Baltimore, Maryland and 22 inches falling in Upper Marlboro, Maryland . Copyright Washington Post; Reprinted by permission of the D.C. Public Library

The recovery effort of the Air Florida jet that crashed into the Potomac River during a snowstorm
on January 13, 1982. This photo was taken January 19, 1982.

Veterans Day services during the snowstorm at Arlington, Virginia, November 11, 1987. A snow of 11.5 inches fell at National Airport during the late morning and afternoon of November 11. There was a tremendous snowfall gradient associated with the storm -- Washington's western suburbs received 3 to 5 inches of snow while eastern suburbs of Washington had up to 17 inches of snow. WJLA

The Storm of the Century, March 12, 1993. Blizzard conditions were widespread up the East Coast.

A car is almost completely buried by snow near Fairfax, Virginia after the Blizzard of 1996, January 8, 1996. The storm dropped heavy snow from Washington to Boston. The snowfall at National Airport measured 17.1 inches while the snowfall at Dulles accumulated 24.6 inches. Other snowfall totals included: 21 inches in Fredericksburg, Virginia; 22.5 inches in Baltimore, Maryland; and 25.7 inches in Rockville, Maryland. Kevin Ambrose